


A little longer

by Starsandsalvation



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Episode: s11e10 The Devil in the Details, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Sam Winchester in Lucifer's Cage, Torture, Tortured Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:42:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22991167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starsandsalvation/pseuds/Starsandsalvation
Summary: Dean is frantic to free Sam, but Lucifer has other ideas. Dean doesn't want to watch his brother's pain, but he won't leave him alone. Sam just needs to hold out a little longer.
Relationships: Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Lucifer & Sam Winchester
Kudos: 90





	A little longer

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic, and it's not beta'd so please forgive any grammatical errors. Thanks friends!

"How long will the spell take?" Dean ground out, masking his fear with anger at the witch who had handed his brother to Lucifer.  
"After I get the ingredients? 5 minutes. Unless Sam says yes. If Lucifer gets a vessel he'll be tethered to earth." The accented voice drawled, clearly unconcerned with the fate of Dean's little brother. The scolds bridle forcing her cooperation made Dean's mouth twitch up just a bit before returning to a scowl.  
"And how long will it take to get the ingredients?" Castiel asked, tilting his head. But before Rowena could answer there was an unmistakable howl of pain echoing around the chamber. Dean's heart plunged into his stomach at the noise. He'd seen his brother in immense pain, but he had never heard his voice make such a strangled, agonized sound.  
"Sam!" Dean yelled without thinking, darting around the corner and following the sound of his brother's screams. He could faintly hear Castiel call his name and the angels pounding footsteps behind him, but he didn't care. He had to get to Sam.  
The sight at the bottom of the stairs was a grisly one. Sam was on his knees in an enormous cage, his head bowed in pain. His arms were stretched far out to his sides as if held by invisible bonds. Lucifer was circling him, saying things that Dean was too far to hear. He descended the stairs quickly but silently, trying to catch what the Devil was telling his brother.  
"You actually thought GOD would reach out to YOU? I mean, come on Sam! You know better than that! Sure, Dean maybe. The "righteous man" or whatever. He's always been heavens golden boy. But you know what you've always been." Lucifer cupped Sam's chin and forced him to look the devil in the eyes. "An abomination. Before you were ever conceived you were mine. You know it. And being human, I know it's hard. The pain, the struggle against destiny, the fight to be good. You don't have to fight, Sam. With me you're strong. With me you're not weak. You're not just what the angels--what your brother think you are." Lucifer dropped Sam's head again and it lolled for just a moment before he brought it back up. Quietly, almost too quietly for Dean to hear while he was moving, he spoke.  
"Yeah. Because that worked so well the last time." He coughed and spit blood onto the metal ground. "I will never allow you to use my hands to murder again. I will never be... your bitch... again." These last words were shouted and Dean felt a surge of pride even as Lucifer backhanded Sam with a loud crack.  
"You never stopped Sammy." Lucifer growled mirthlessly.  
"Hey, assbutt!" Cas shouted as the pair finally reached the cage. The Devil turned, grinning. An arm snaked out and grabbed Sam's hair and turned his head forcibly to the side.  
"Look roomie! You were right! Dean did come!"  
Eyes hazy with pain but alight with a fiery determination that was so uniquely Sam met Dean's and widened in fear.  
"Dean, ru-" Sam's warning was cut off by a strangled yelp as Lucifer snatched him around the throat.  
"Now now Sammy, Dean can make his own choices, just like you! And you have one very important one to make, don't you?"  
"Let him go Lucifer!" Dean growled with a confidence he didn't feel.  
"Oh, I will Dean-o. Sammy just has to say one little word. Whaddya say Sammy? I can beat her." Lucifer released Sam's throat and the man gasped and sputtered. He licked his lips and glanced at Dean before looking directly into his tormentors eyes.  
"Never... again." He gasped out.  
"Fine, we'll just have to keep doing this the fun way." Lucifer shrugged. He walked behind Sam and from this distance Dean could see why Sam had been screaming. His coat and flannel had been discarded, and his T shirt hung in tatters from his shoulders. Angry red lines criss crossed Sam's back and blood caked his entire upper body. Dean turned to Cas who was watching in helpless horror.  
"Go, help Rowena and Crowley."  
"Dean, I'm not leaving you."  
"Cas!" Dean said as loud as he dared, "Go. Get him out of there!" Cas looked like he wanted to argue but the tears in Dean's eyes seemed to dissuade him.  
Dean heard a loud crack and Sam jerked in his bonds and squeezed his eyes tight but did not scream. Dean knew the silence was for his benefit.  
"Stop!" Dean shouted, surging against the bars of the cage, instinctively trying to get to his baby brother. Lucifer pretended not to hear, just kept raining blow after blow onto Sam's bloodied back with an invisible whip. Dean furiously pounded against the bars until his knuckles bled, desperate to do something.  
"Sam. This is a lot more fun when you scream." Lucifer grumbled. Sam opened his eyes and glared up at his tormentor.  
"Tough." He spat.  
"Fine." Lucifer shrugged casually. You know how I love a good challenge. Especially if I can make big bro watch." Satan winked at Dean who did his level best to melt him with his gaze. "Say Sammy, which of our greatest hits should we exhibit for big bro?"  
Sam laughed, a wet, hacking drawl that surprised both Lucifer and Dean.  
"You can't do anything to me Lucifer." He licked blood from his lips and spat before continuing. "You've already done things I could never have imagined. But here, I'm still alive. I still have a body. You have limits. And since you haven't killed me yet I'm betting that in here you can't bring me back. And you know that no matter what you do, I've had worse." Sam smiled before turning to Dean with great effort. "Dean, I'm okay. Don't worry." Dean's heart clenched at his brother's reassurance.  
Lucifer snickered and raised an eyebrow. "I don't know Sam, I can think of one of your least favourite things that wouldn't hurt you in the slightest. What do you think, bunk buddy?" Sam blanched and broke eye contact with Dean. Dean flinched and tried not to think about the implications.  
"Mmm, maybe later. I bet if we worked up to that we'd get a yes. Especially if big bro is here. But for now, a little foreplay..." Lucifer trailed off and raised his hands. A clinking like thick chains filled Dean's ears. Sam let out a strangled groan as something left impressions in the skin of his neck and forced his head up.  
"Remember Sam, just one word and all of this will stop."  
"S-screw y-you" Sam hissed out, eyes trained on the ceiling rather than the only other option, Lucifer. Lucifer raised his fist and clenched. Dean knew the pain of that particular torment, and his heart ached. But still, his stalwart little brother refused to scream.  
"Okay Sam," Lucifer chastised, releasing his fist. "This is getting boring. Let's get a little dirty, shall we?" And with that Lucifer swiped his hand to the left and a deep, painful looking gash opened up on Sam's chest. Over and over and over again, Lucifer opened up Sam's body. If Sam's groans weren't satisfactory, he'd dig his hands into existing wounds until he elicited screams. Dean had long since given up breaking through the bars and had stretched himself as far as he could, just barely landing a hand on Sam's trembling calf.  
"I'm here Sammy. Just hang on. Just hang on Sammy. It's almost over, I promise. Just a little longer. We're getting you out." He murmured over and over like a prayer. He didn't even know if Sam could hear him, but he could feel him, that would have to be enough.  
Lucifer stepped back from his victim with a sigh, wiping his bloody hands on Sam's discarded flannel. With a snap of his fingers the invisible chain around Sam's neck seemed to disappear, and Dean watched his brother's head loll onto his chest. Sam's body was completely limp, which terrified Dean. From his position he couldn't tell if Sam was conscious or if he had passed out from pain or blood loss. Either way Sam's bonds were the only things keeping him upright.  
"Well Sam?" Lucifer leered. Sam's head still hung limply against his chest, so Lucifer pulled him up by the hair. Sam's eyes hung half open and he couldn't seem to muster the energy to close his mouth. But the boy with the demon blood refused to relent.  
"N-no." He gasped. Lucifer rolled his eyes and let Sam's head drop again, but somehow Sam managed to hold himself up.  
Suddenly Cas reappeared by Dean's side. Dean turned his desperate eyes to his friend.  
"Five minutes" Cas said apologetically. Dean swore and scrubbed his eyes. Cas took in the scene before him with horror. "Sam..."  
"Alright Sam. I'll give you this, you got your gumption back. I mean, last time I saw you you weren't much of a challenge anymore. So... submissive." The Devil grinned as Sam dropped his chin in shame. Dean squeezed his leg reassuringly. "But time is short, places to be and such. So let's try something new." For the first time in a while Lucifer acknowledged Dean's presence. "Hey big bro! The other one! Nice knuckles. If you want to get to Sam so bad, come on down." With a snap both Dean and Cas found themselves in the cage, bathed in blue light.  
"NO!" Sam's hoarse yell was louder than any word he'd spoken since Dean had entered. He feebly struggled against his bonds before the pain overcame him. Dean's heart skipped as Lucifer stared him down. Cas dropped his blade into his hand and readied for a fight they all knew they couldn't win. That was alright, they didn't need to win. Cas lunged first, putting up an impressive fight as Dean darted to his brother, falling on his knees in front of him.  
"Sammy!" He called, cupping his brother's face in his hands. Sam was still conscious and at the sound of his name he fought to raise his head.  
"De'n" he slurred out, blood dripping from his mouth.  
"Hey man. I'm right here. I'm right here."  
Dean's eyebrows lifted in surprise as Sam managed a weak, bloody smile.  
"You're... always....here." he huffed under lidded eyes. Dean's heart clenched and tears threatened to spill at the faith his brother still had in him, even when he couldn't save him.  
Sam's eyes widened as Lucifer threw Cas and his blade clattered away. "Dean...we can't... can't win." Sam urged, the fear back in his eyes.  
Dean's spirit leapt at the prospect of giving Sam good news.  
"We don't have to win" Dean ground out, patting his brothers cheek and ignoring the blood, "we just have to last a few minutes." Dean gave his brother one last encouraging look and turned to take on the being that had done this to his little brother. Predictably Dean only lasted a few seconds before Lucifer had him pinned to the bars of the cage by his throat. He grinned gleefully before turning back to Sam.  
"Okay Sam. I'll make this really easy for you. Say the magic word, or your brother dies. Painfully. And we both know you won't let that happen." He sneered. Dean choked and tried to look at Sam who was still on his knees and stretched out. Sam looked more terrified than Dean had ever seen him. Dean knew that if there was only one way to save Dean, Sam would do anything. He silently prayed that Sam would hold out. His eyes locked with his brothers wide and full of agony. Even gasping, Dean twitched the corner of his mouth up, hoping Sam was lucid enough to notice. I'm okay, it said, stay strong for me. But as Lucifer squeezed harder, Dean truly didn't know if Sam would be able to watch him die.  
Luckily he didn't have to. Cas jumped forward at that moment, fists barely affecting Lucifer but managing to knock him away from Dean. Dean gasped and made once again for his little brother. Cas was pinned in a corner and Dean stood to go to his aid when there was a bright flash of light, and the devil had vanished.  
Dean hardly had a moment of relief before the invisible bonds holding Sam upright must have disappeared and Sam fell forward onto his ruined chest with a cry. From this distance Dean could truly take stock of his brother's condition. Sam's back was in tatters. Strips of skin dangled, flayed off partially over skin that was nothing more than angry red welts and blood. His face, though partially obscured, looked like he had gone ten rounds with a block of cement. Dean's heart clenched. He knew he couldn't move Sam, but they couldn't stay here.  
"Sammy?" Dean whispered, running his hand through the long blood matted hair. "Sammy say something. I need you to stay with me."  
Sam groaned and forced his eyes open but did not move from the cold metal ground.  
"Sorry D."  
Dean's brow furrowed. What on earth did Sam have to be sorry for? Lucifer must have toyed with his head more than Dean thought.  
"You're delirious Sammy. We're gonna get you help."  
"You... shouldn't have had to...I messed up. Not God."  
"Sam!" Dean interrupted firmly. "We'll talk about it when you're better. But we gotta get you outta here." Sam smiled and lifted his head from the ground with great effort.  
"Yeah Dean. Let's go home."


End file.
